“We’re paying,” Stone said. “And trust me, it’ll be worth your while. Let me bring over the employment app and papers I’d need to hire you, and you can think about it, okay?”
“Okay.” She had to admit, the “we’re paying” had been a pretty good argument. “I’d think Emma would want to go with you on this one, and keep you safe from the scary coeds.”
“Um, yeah. About that-” He broke off suddenly, and it sounded like he covered the receiver before he came back on. “Sorry, Harley. Bad reception, gotta go. See you in a few.”
She hung up, set aside her checkbook, and did some data processing for the internship, frowning when she found that two of her red group coyotes weren’t transmitting. She ran some errands, fielded more TJ questions, and came back to find the folder of employment papers stuck in her door. She set them on her table and went back to the new data she was getting from the field camera.
Those two coyotes were still not transmitting.
It was worrisome, but after a while her mind wandered from coyotes to a certain tough, sexy guide who could rev her body with a single glance.
Hell, she was still revved. She should have just jumped him in that damn sleeping bag.
Only one thing had stopped her-the fact that she wasn’t made for casual sex, and he didn’t tend to do anything but. Not to mention that though he’d played and teased and flirted with her, and made her feel like the only woman on earth, he’d also told her to follow her instincts, even though he knew that those instincts were telling her to keep her distance.
One thing she could count on TJ Wilder for-honesty. He said what he meant and meant what he said. No lies, no subterfuge.
Hot and sexy as he was, he was not good for her. She looked at her coveralls lying over the back of her chair. Nolan was good for her. She was yearning for someone in her life, someone with a penis, and she was quite certain he had one.
But TJ had one, too.
Clearly, she was crazy. She pushed her laptop away and looked at the file of employment papers from Stone. She’d told herself she wasn’t interested in assisting in guiding a trip, or taking vacation pictures. She had plans. Research biologist plans-which unfortunately wasn’t going to earn her a damn penny. She opened the application.
It was a paying job, one that didn’t require coveralls, grease, or dirty fingernails. Just to see how it would look, she put her name on the application. And then her address. But under qualifications, she hesitated. The story of her life, having to prove herself.
But the real truth was, other than her biology degree, she wasn’t sure what her true qualifications were. Somehow she didn’t think “loves the great outdoors” was going to matter. She found herself writing two names, Nolan and TJ. Huh. Guess this wasn’t about her. Nope, juvenile as it was, she was going to make a list of their qualifications.
That should clear things up. Under Nolan’s name she wrote:
Pro-gave me a paying job
Pro-nice smile
Pro-nice body
Pro-well liked
Pro-sweet, steady, stable
Con-haven’t wanted to kiss him since I kissed TJ
Only one con, and to be fair that con was hers, not his. Under TJ’s name she wrote:
Pro-best body in Wishful, maybe the planet
Pro-gave me my first man-made orgasm all year
Pro-offers me his company, his expertise, his friendship, and would also give me the shirt off his back if I needed it
Pro-kisses like heaven
Pro-knows me, perhaps more than I’d like
Con-knows me, perhaps more than I’d like
Con-can’t stop thinking about him
Con-he’ll break my heart if I let him
Con-not sure what his intentions are
There. She stared at the list and chewed on her pencil as she studied the data. The knock at the door startled her out of her analysis. It was Nolan. He smiled warmly and held up an envelope.
“What’s that?” she asked, returning his smile. It was easy to smile at him. He was the kind of guy that inspired…comfortability. He’d moved here from San Francisco a year ago, though he still hadn’t lost the air of being “city.” He was slightly under six feet, and his rangy, runner’s body always looked good in his clothes. He wore dark jeans that had been professionally distressed, a pale blue button-down, and cool Vibram-soled shoes.
“Your paycheck,” he said, waiting patiently for her to step aside and let him in, unlike some men she knew who just barged in invited or not. That should probably be a pro for Nolan.
She took the envelope, knowing the number on it would be pathetically low, as she’d only managed to get in twenty hours. “You didn’t have to deliver it. I’m working tomorrow, I could have picked it up then.”
“I didn’t mind.” In her living room, he turned to face her, hesitated, then came close, his hands going to her arms. “Sorry about dinner the other night.”
“Me too.”
“We keep getting postponed.”
She nodded, and his body shifted a little closer, his eyes on hers. She realized he was going to kiss her. And she wanted him to.
Or she had, before Desolation.
No. Stop. Erase that. She still wanted his kiss. She wanted all of it. Passion. Heat. Love.
Nakedness.
Nolan was the perfect candidate, sweet and loving and kind. He was a long-term candidate as well, a safe one. She let her eyes drift shut and quickly darted her lips with her tongue to moisten them, because there was nothing worse than having lips get stuck together, especially during a first kiss. Briefly she tried to remember which underwear she had on, and if it was cute or sexy. Or God forbid, if it was her laundry day underwear, because-
“Harley? You okay?”
She blinked and found Nolan’s face peering into her own, a bemused smile on his lips. “Yes, why?”
“You look like you’re thinking way too hard.”
“Nope. Not thinking.” She closed her eyes. “Mind’s empty. Carry on.” She sensed his smile. To help him along, she leaned into him, lips puckered as she wondered-did he kiss good? With tongue? Without? Or worse, with too much tongue. Her eyes flew open, and she found his lips nearly touching hers. “Oh! Sorry! Um, would you like some water? I’m really dry, I think I need some water.”
He opened his eyes. He didn’t sigh, but he looked like he was thinking about it. “I’m fine, thanks. Harley-”
“Hang on.” She whirled into the kitchen, moved to the cupboard for a glass, and set her forehead against the wood. What was that? You can do this, she told herself. You can be attracted to someone other than TJ. You can be attracted to Nolan. You were only a few days ago.
“Harley.”
Almost yelping in surprise at the sound of him just behind her, she straightened and filled her glass at the sink. When she turned, Nolan was leaning back against the fridge, once again studying her with that slightly bemused expression.
She realized she caused that expression in men a lot.
“Better?” he asked as she drank.
“Much.”
Nodding, he came close again, his intent in his deep blue eyes.
Okay, Harley, this is your chance. A nice man. A good man. A long-term, happily-ever-after man. She let him take the glass from her, which he set in the sink. See, he’s neat, too, she told herself as he shifted closer, his eyes lit with pleasure, and then-and then the alien within her lifted her hand between them, halting his progress. “I forgot to get my mail today.”
He went still for a beat, then blinked. “And…you need to get it right now?”
Her heart was suddenly thundering. “Um…no. That would be silly.” She gripped his shirt and forcibly pulled him in. His hands went to her hips and his gaze dropped to her mouth. “Nolan?”
Again he stopped, his eyes suddenly flashing with both wry humor and resignment. “Are you thirsty again?”
“No,” she whispered miserably. “Worse.”